Cheers to 8 Months & Many Firsts!

I am pre-apologizing for the length of this blog post. Having this new beautiful computer at my fingertips allows me to quickly add a little story whenever I can. So now my posts are not scrambling to remember, I can just type as they happen. I hope I don't bore you to tears with the lengthy post!

Nap Training Round One

Monday May 18th 9:28am... 

Sooooo Harrison and I have gotten into a routine where we read a book, sing twinkle twinkle little start, then hum TTLS and amazing grace, and then I rock him until he is asleep and then into his crib he goes. Well we decided he is 7m now and he should put himself down for a nap, I do not want to start a bad routine. He puts himself to sleep every night just fine, he is wide awake when we leave his room and then he goes to sleep, why not naps!! Game Plan made, so now the day has come and we are gonna do this thing! We read a book, then I put him in his crib, pat his back and sing. Then I tell him I love him, have a great nap and I will see you when you wake up. Easy Peasy! bam! We have got this! He doesn't cry, just watches me leave, then plays around for 7 mins and starts to get a little fussy. He sits up quite gracefully and is looking around his crib. Okay, okay son I am watching you. Well that little stinker decided he was going to learn to pull himself up to standing. So today of all days he learns to stand in his crib!! He is tall enough that the rail hits at his belly and he is in prime toppling over position. Needless to say we will be lowering the crib tonight. So nap #1 ended with me rocking him to sleep....    Mommy: 0       Harrison: 1

Nose/Shin Collision

Wednesday May 20th (early evening)

First (and certainly not last) bloody nose! Harrison has become quite fluent in going from hands and knees to seated and vice verse. Well I squatted down and undressed him on his foam tiles so we could get ready for bath. As I stood up he decided he wanted to be picked up. In order to inform me of said "want" he went from sitting to hands and knees to attempted crawl in all of 2.2 seconds. The end result: his face + my shin = Harrison's first bloody nose. He was more upset by the nose cleaning process then he was the actually bloody nose. HashtagBoyMom. If we had any doubt he was all boy, well here it is folks, here.it.is.

Crawling Clifford

Monday May 25th at 5:15pm (Memorial Day)

Harrison decided he wanted to celebrate those that serve and have served our country by crawling for the first time. After an entire weekend of everyone coaxing him to crawl at the lake, he decided he would come home and show everyone he was just pulling their leg. He straight up crawled like he's been doing it forever! It was wild! What a big proud boy! Then just when you get used to the idea that your baby is mobile, he goes over to our coffee table (which is an ottoman) and pulls himself to standing. What!?!? One happily and excitedly overwhelmed mommy right here! Video evidence below!

Nap Training Round Two

Tuesday May 26th 9am

Well I decided today would be the second go. We are home for two weeks without a trip, so I have the time for consistency. Game On sir, game on! So I set my mind to it, then changed it, then set it, then changed it, basically up until 5 minutes before I put him down I wasn't sure what to do. Then I made a decision (trying very hard to make decisions these days and not worry so much about the other choice or what will happen, just make the choice and be okay with it. Thank you favorite father in law for the push). Well anyways I decided we would read a book, then I would sing one round of twinkle twinkle little star then off the crib Harrison goes. So I put him down I sing another round of TTLS and the only verse of Amazing Grace I know (note to self, learn more lyrics). I covered him with his blanket and attempted back patting while he was like uhhhh mom I am sitting up. Then I told him, "I love you, have a good nap, I will see you when you wake up." Then I left. I left. I closed the door and left my wide awake little daredevil to put himself to sleep. He did great for 7 minutes, he stood and hung his head over the crib, threw his binky over then watched it. Then he got bored and started to cry. I gave him the predetermined 5 mins and then went in. I gave him his binky, gave him his lovies, covered him up and pat his back for 50 counts. He didn't fight or move, I left. He sat right back up and fussed. He cried for 5 more minutes then laid down and went to sleep! Just like that my sweet little rocking boy showed mommy whats up. It took all of 10 minutes on and off of crying, 7 minutes of playing, and the boy was out. Nap time start 9:17am, I am writing this at 10:38am and he is still a sleepy bear! I am gonna give this point to Team Janes! Again and again my sweet boy amazes me. Give him a task and he finds a way to figure it out. And I know that every nap, every day, every event won't always be like this, but I am taking it a day at a time and loving every second of being Harrison's mommy!

Wednesday June 10th at 3:45pm
Harrison went under water and swam for the first time!!! "1000 one" is the count and each week we will add to it. He did great, didn't freak at all! It was awesome, he smiled and had huge eyes and just love it. Kept hopping in and going for it. Now we need to work on his kicking! (side note: we went to the gym pool and he was not a fan of the idea of plopping in like at Emler. I sat him on the side and he whined. I am interested to see what happens at swim on Wednesday).

Stats & Fun Facts:
- Harrison cut the top two teeth, they are this big ole goofy things
- The two vampire teeth are coming through too, all of a sudden!
- Graduated to the big boy carseat
- Gained a new baby cousin! Lilian Louise Janes was born on Wednesday June 3rd at 10:34pm. She was 35 weeks and weighed in at 7lb 1oz. She is perfection!
- He has 5 teeth, working on his 6th
- He is a crawling maniac
- Pulling up on everything. everything.
- 2nd bloody nose in the books

All in all I'd say this month was another for the record books. Y'all I am already thinking about his first birthday. His.First.Birthday!?!?!?! WHAT!?

First successful back put on and carry! Didn't drop the babe!

What the heck are these snakes!?

Lilian Louise you sweet little lovey! I am so glad you are here!!

Godfather Uncle Stinky double time duty 

Lovin' life with my Cheech

Lily's bday weekend!

Check out ma new bag y'all! Ready for gym care!

Genius or lucky?

First time under water!

First cheeto!

Big boy carseat

doin' how I do at the poo. Eating sunscreen and being' coo!

Nectarine eating like a big boy! I cut a piece to give him a start and he rocked it! Next time I won't be cutting a piece!

Begin the 8 Month photo shoot 

Crawling babe!! First official crawl (well second, the first happened two seconds before this and only Christopher got to see it!)

My Baby is Becoming a Boy!

Harrison is officially transitioning over to the boy side of life. He has always been a boy, obvi. But now he is becoming a big boy, not a baby boy! He eats solid solids, basically what we eat (minus honey) he eats! And sweets, we haven't given him any sweets yet. He could have them, the only off limit item is honey. We have conquered the big allergies of eggs, peanut butter, & cows milk. Neither Chris nor I have an allergy so we did not anticipate H having one. Phew!! Anywho along with the eating thing, he is a quite a mobile merlin! I can't believe it. He is a master of the inch worm, he can't do hands and knees. He tries, he tries very hard, and then he face plants.... He doesn't seem to care. He actually doesn't seem to have a pain tolerance. He can often be found banging his head into things. The other day he did face plant on my friends coffee table and gave himself a nice Hitler mustache bruise. He did cry, but then moved on pretty quickly.

7 Month Stats

- Weighing in at 19lb 10oz

- He is a food lover! Rocking feeding himself!

- Inch worm master, he is just starting to figure out that he needs to use his arms

- He has discovered that he can grab one hand with the other. It is quite entertaining.

- He has learned cause and effect... if I rub the cup on the wall then it makes noise - if I drop my cup on the ground I can lean over and look at it - and many more. It is super interesting!

- He is currently napping for the first time with a blanket.... I am watching him like a hawk on the monitor bc he is mister roll polly and I do not want a strangled baby! 

- 2.2 seconds away from crawling. He gets up on hand and knees and rocks, then tries and arm, then face plants. The end.

- He can pull up, but hasn't learned that he can on things. He only pulls up on our hands. He will take steps when we are holding his hands. That is really crazy!

- He could sit without falling over for hours. If he starts to lean it rights himself, his core strength is wild! 

- He is holding strong with those 2 bottom teethers

- June 8 H starts Water Babies and will get to go under water and actually begin to swim! So excited!

Food Adventures

As I said basically anything is up for a trial. But he most definitely has some favorites!

- Applesauce on ezikial toast

- Avocado

- Watermelon

- Blackberries

- Grapes

- Strawberries

- Japanese Sweet Potato

- Eggs with broccoli and cheese

- Colby jack cheese sticks

- Kale, Spinach, & Apple Puffs

- banans

- Whole fat greek yogurt (mixed with pumpkin is a super fav)

- Roasted cherry tomatoes

- Shredded Chicken

- Oatmeal (whatever combo I made for myself minus honey)

Janes Family Updates

- Uncle PJ and Tia Alany are coming this weekend for a visit! Alany is due July 8th with Lilian Louise and we cannot wait to meet and love on her!
- We will probably be going to the lake for Memorial Day and Harrison will get to swim for the first time in the lake!
- We had a marvelous mothers day! My people got me an edible arrangement and a new laptop. Mine was the same one from 2006 when I started college. Here is hoping I will know be prompt in my blog postings!
- Sofia got baptized
- I hosted a calligraphy party and it was a blast! I need to continue to practice my skills!
- Harrison had his first babysitter that was non family... I paid for a babysitter, so weird to be on the parent end of babysitting.
- Christopher turned 27
- We went to NYC for my hip check up and all is well and fab!

Harrison and Sofia like to kiss each other....

Is there something on my face!?

Cheech gets the best giggles!!

First big boy bath. It just so happened to be at the Waldorf in NYC

I've only got eyes for you my sweet boy! 

First carousel ride! The only place to do it is in Central Park with his daddy, mommy, and aunts KK & McGreggor!

A snippet of NYC

What a lucky little ham to be loved by these two!

Grandpa came to visit! Thank you for taking the long trek Gramps!

This is how you work the airport.... right?

Sneaky sneaky doggie girl 

You lay on me sis, I chew on your ear. Tell me this isn't love!?!

This little monster rocks my world

What is better than sister making H giggle?!? And notice she sneakily tries to the lick the tray

Is there something on my head?! We have since moved out of the baby tub into just the big boy tub bc someone kept trying to climb out!

flippy hair dont care

One of the first successful inch worm movements

Just because

1st human mothers day! 

Sharing is caring... you bite I bite

7 Month Photoshoot Fun!

Ham and poser!

The first official inch worm caught on camera